Porta-Potties For The Soul

Somehow C-Monster scored an hourlong therapy session with artist Bert Rodriguez, as part of the Whitney Biennial, inside the Rodriguez cube.

Hard to get into, those sessions. The rarity of having a writer win the Biennial’s most coveted performance art lottery led Richard Lacayo to ask her to expand on her experiences in his Time Magazine blog, Looking Around. Hit the link for her report.

Talk about an idea whose time has just popped out of the toaster.

In a prime example of great minds thinking alike, these therapy sessions in New York echo PDL’s performances in Seattle last summer, known as the Portable Confession Units.

Greg Lundgren

PDL member Greg Lundgren graciously agreed to explain the concept.

Why Portable Confession Units?

People need an outlet for their fears, guilts and frustrations. We offer that. It isn’t a prank. We’re serious.

But is there a need?

It’s hard to share. Maybe it’s a habit we didn’t develop. Lack of sharing leads to what we call “toxic thought syndrome.” We’d like to place our portable confessional units in shopping centers, playgrounds, airports and businesses. They’re Porta-Potties for the soul.

Aren’t such talks better left to therapists, rabbis and priests?

Why go to a trained professional when there are artists around, eager to listen? We won’t judge, no matter what. Kurt Vonnegut once said that an artist’s job is to make people like life more than they did before. That’s what we’re trying to do.

Catholics go to confession. Were any of you raised Catholic?

No. We learned what we know about confession at the movies.

For more information about PDL or the units, drop Lundgren at note at greg@vital5productions.com.